For those keeping score at home, the current issue of Insight magazine has run its fourth article critical of the Bush administration in just the last couple of months. For an off-shoot of Sun Myung Moon’s far-right Washington Times, this remains an inexplicable development.
This week, it’s a report on “the largest crackdown in decades against whistleblowers in government.”
The Justice Department has initiated or summoned to investigate whistleblowers throughout the government. Officials said the effort includes FBI agents questioning suspected leakers, particularly in defense and intelligence agencies. […]
Officials said several long-unused laws would be employed to help in prosecution efforts. “Obviously, we are not going after every leaker,” an official said. “But if the leaker comes from State, the Pentagon or the intelligence community, we will be ruthless.” (emphasis added)
Unlike some of the recent Insight pieces, this one isn’t terribly hard to believe. The administration really is worried about leaks from whistleblowers, so the notion that there might be a systemic and “ruthless” crackdown on those who want to expose wrongdoing makes considerable sense.
Indeed, many whistleblowers from the FBI, National Security Agency, Defense Department, and Energy Department complained about retaliation from administration higher-ups at a House subcommittee hearing yesterday.
Whistleblowers who have alleged misconduct or criminal activity at national security agencies told lawmakers Tuesday that they have been retaliated against for their disclosures, and urged stronger rights for both federal employees and contractors reporting wrongdoing. […]
The whistleblowers recounted their allegations and how they were retaliated against, in some cases by having their security clearances revoked or their careers ruined. They said agency managers seemed more focused on cover-ups and retaliation than investigating allegations or addressing exposed problems.
As a substantive matter, retaliation against those who expose misconduct is outrageous, but with the Bush administration, it’s also sadly predictable. After all, if these blabbermouths help shine light on the administration’s misdeads, how can the Bush gang keep their wrongdoing secret?
As for Insight, it looks like the magazine has officially given up on being a house organ for the Washington Times. Just last week, Insight ran an item on Karl Rove threatening to “blacklist” any Republican who goes against the president as part of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s investigation of the administration’s unauthorized wiretapping.
In November, Insight ran an item explaining that Bush has become melancholy and paranoid. In January, Insight quoted “administration sources” talking about internal turmoil at the Bush White House.
One of these days, someone with inside access will explain why the far-right Washington Times’ “sister publication” keeps publishing pieces that make Bush look bad, but in the meantime, it makes for some damn interesting copy.